Mail Call
by PaBurke
Summary: Short communiqués between Jack O’Neill and his clone.
1. Default Chapter

The Card

By PaBurke

Rating: G

Spoilers: None, Fragile Balance

Disclaimer: SG1 goes to SciFi and Emily Dickinson really wrote the poem.

Word Count: 100

Distribution: Mini-Jack Mailing List

No return address, the envelope was plain. The card was simple. A nice picture of Earth graced the front, probably taken from one of the satellites in orbit. Inside, the handwriting was familiar:

'English assignment. Emily Dickinson. You are probably the only person who might need this poem, literally. –The Other Jack

"I lost a world the other day.

Has anybody found?

You'll know it by the row of stars

Around its forehead bound.

A rich man might not notice it;

Yet to my frugal eye

Of more esteem than ducats.

Oh, find it, sir, for me!"'

Colonel Jack laughed.


	2. The Card II

The Card II

By PaBurke

Rating: G

Series: Short communiqués between Jack O'Neill and his clone. Part II.

Spoilers: Heroes II

Disclaimer: SG1 goes to SciFi and Emily Dickinson really wrote the poem.

Word Count: 132

Distribution: Mini-Jack Mailing List

The teen was surprised with the card in the mailbox. The return address was entirely too familiar. The picture on the card was that of some sort of a flower, not at all what he'd expect from himself.

He sat on his front stoop and opened the card. The bold handwriting jumped out at him:

"I went to thank her,

But she slept;

Her bed a funneled stone,

With nosegays at the head and foot,

That travelers had thrown,

Who went to thank her;

But she slept.

'T was short to cross the sea

To look upon her like, alive,

But turning back 't was slow."

Underneath the poem were two things; Janet Fraiser's name and a cemetery plot number. The colonel had simply written, 'Thought you should know.'

The teen wept.


	3. The Card Never Sent

The Card Never Sent

By PaBurke

Rating: G

Series: Short communiqués between Jack O'Neill and his clone. Between Cards II and III.

Spoilers: Season 7 finale

Disclaimer: SG1 goes to SciFi.

Word Count: 100

Distribution: Mini-Jack Mailing List

The clone watched the newscast with extreme amusement and skepticism. An odd light show in Antarctica? Yeah, right. He dug through his junk drawer looking for a card he liked. This one said, 'Congratulations! You did it!'

Inside he wrote, 'Since we're still here, I guess you won again. Thank the geeks for me.'

He never understood why these brief messages comforted him. He was grateful that the colonel wrote back. The first one had been an impulse, the rest - a lifeline.

A knock sounded at his door. Jack opened it with a smile.

There Daniel stood.

The smile died.


	4. The Card Most Surprising

The Card Most Surprising

By PaBurke

Rating: G

Series: Short communiqués between Jack O'Neill and his clone. Between Card Never Sent and Card III. The important event I missed.

Spoilers: Season 8 premiere

Disclaimer: SG1 goes to SciFi.

Word Count: 100

Distribution: Mini-Jack Mailing List

This card brought a maelstrom of emotions. Remorse; after all, who would blame him for wanting to be the only Jack O'Neill? Guilt. Relief; 'cause the only one should be the old one. Mourning; the cabin almost was his. He hadn't even opened the card yet. The front pictured an eagle in a night sky. The colonel had painstakingly drawn in a star as the eagle's goal. The inside was easier to understand.

'Bird - Star

Got a new parking spot.'

Accomplishment. Surprise. Confusion. Pride. Hammond probably got promoted. Carter soon would.

The clone mumbled his response.

"You're The Man."


	5. The Card III

The Card III

By PaBurke

Rating: G

Series: Short communiqués between Jack O'Neill and his clone. Part III.

Spoilers: Season 8

Disclaimer: SG1 goes to SciFi.

Word Count: 100

Distribution: Mini-Jack Mailing List

Every card was unexpected. This one had a white-tail buck on the front. Jack had hated white-tailed deer ever since one had totaled his car when he was sixteen. A newspaper clipping fluttered out. It was a picture of Carter with that man, an announcement.

Or an obituary.

The message was short:

'Not that you needed a reminder. I could arrange an accident.'

The colonel picked up the picture and slid it back into the card and the card into the envelope. He never paused. He used the paper as kindling for his bonfire in the backyard.

The fire burned.


	6. The Card IV

The Card IV

By PaBurke

Rating: G

Series: Short communiqués between Jack O'Neill and his clone. Part IV.

Spoilers: Season 8

Disclaimer: SG1 goes to SciFi.

Word Count: 100

Distribution: Mini-Jack Mailing List

Bills had hidden this card. The teen wondered which friend had died now. The front of the card featured a candle, inside was a Kodak picture. Master Bra'tec stood between a boy and a girl in front of a metal, military ramp. Jack smirked, knowing the 'Gate had been cropped.

The note read:

'They wanted a goat. I offered a piñata. Now Teal'c has a daughter.'

Jack looked at the picture again. Ry'ac had grown to be a strong young man, obviously in love. He wondered what calamity forced the ceremony to be held in the SGC.

The clone sighed.


End file.
